Congo and Mali

Many African countries are in need of major assistance, spiritually, environmentally and in everyday life.  They suffer under the weight of disease and poverty; Mali is one of these.  Some however are in much better condition than others, like Congo.  These two countries are different, yet so very alike.  Congo and Mali have a near equal amount of similarities and differences.  

The Congolese are a loving people living in a country ready to grow in wealth and education.  Alas, many suffer from malnutrition and fatal diseases.  A great deal of this may come from their outrageous diet.  Myriad Congolese consume antelope, field rats, birds, monkeys, elephants, lizards, grasshoppers, crickets, termites, palm grubs and snakes, even Vipers!  They also dine on stew, pineapples, sweet potatoes and plantains.  The Congolese reside in mud homes with straw roofs, clustered together in villages.  The official language in Congo is French, yet almost all of these villages speak their own idiosyncratic language.  If combined, there would be about 200 languages in Congo alone!  The majority of the population farms and raises livestock.  The entire family helps out at home which causes lower literacy rates.  As a matter of fact, only 1% of the population in the year 2000 earned a college degree.  Unfortunately, men in Congo may acquire more than 1 wife.  This means he must construct more than one house for his many wives.  Most families lack electricity and running water.   A traditional Congolese outfit consists of a simple shirt and trousers.

Similar to the Congolese, Malians are strong in body and mind.  Yet only 1/3 of all children go to school, and only 20% of adults know how to read and write the official language, French.  Like the Congolese, they put most of their strength into farming.  Most farmers also raise herds of cattle and goats.  Unlike the Congolese, Malians eat nearly the same food every day.  Millet porridge is served at the majority of houses and always has been.  In fact, Tbn Battuta wrote about eating Millet porridge when he visited Mali in 1352!  Most girls get married at age 16 and 50% of them have children by 19.  The groom is obliged to pay the bride’s family due to their loss of helping hands.  This is now illegal, but in spite of that, tons of families still provide this payment.

Congo has a multitude of differing land formations, including volcanoes, valleys, rivers, plateaus, rainforests (90 degrees Farenheight) , savannas with a few small trees, forests, mountains and waterfalls.  Night in Congo is hot, synonymous to the day and entire year.  The Congo river alone is home to 4000 islands.  They are desolate, due to severe seasonal flooding.  As a matter of fact, Congo’s average rainfall is 80 inches per year.  In the south however, droughts occur rather often.  This is a hefty burden on the Congolese and causes life to be even crueler on them. 

Mali has countless environmental problems including drought, flooding, dust storms and locust.  These predicaments affect many animals as well as mankind.  Many animal numbers are dwindling due to these dilemmas.  Poaching has also had a large influence in the animal population.  Unfortunately, Mali is suffering of desertification.  The people’s  animals need to graze on grass and wildflowers.  This supports desertification and loss of farm land. The water hyacinth also destroys the Malian environment.  It is a damaging weed that encroaches quickly over the surface of lakes and ponds.  This injurious weed starves the water of oxygen exterminating all aquatic life.  Mali is rich in gold, salt, limestone, phosphate, fish, grains and livestock.  Similar to Congo, the average temperature in Mali is 80 degrees farenheight.  Mali is cold at night, yet hot and moist in the daylight hours, unlike Congo.  90% percent of Mali’s energy comes from burning wood.  Trees are already scarce in Mali and cutting them down causes Mali to become a barren desert.

Congo is a country full of Christians.  Believe it or not, 80% of all Congolese are Christian.  Of this is Roman Catholic, Protestant and Kimbanguist.  Kimbanguist is a branch of Christianity, founded by Kimbangu.  They, like all Christians believe that there is one God who loves and cares for them and they have the freedom to pray whenever they wish.  They read the Bible to guide them through life and hard times.  10% of the people are Muslim, and the remainder worships spirits or practice sorcery. 

Completely unlike the Congolese, most Malians are Muslim and utilize the Islamic calendar which has 354 days instead of 365.  They pray to Allah exactly 5 times a day turned toward Mecca, Saudi Arabia.  The favored place of worship is the Great Mosque. In Ramadan (an Islamic month), many Muslims fast for weeks, some even for a month, to become closer to Allah.

As you can see, Congo and Mali are different, yet just about the same.  Their people love, laugh, hate, hope, work, worry, care, cry, suffer and smile.  Everyone does, it’s part of life.  Even if you’re on complete opposite sides of the world, every mother, father, sister, brother, grandmother and grandfather has feelings.  The Congolese are ready to share their emotions with God, but the Malians don’t have the all forgiving God to give their feelings to.  Congo and Mali both need better housing and nutrition.  Climate in these two countries is hot and dry, especially in Mali.  These nations need help, as do other African countries.  If you yearn to assist these caring people, you can adopt a child through Compassion.com or donate via Samaritan’s Purse.  Like I stated earlier, Congo and Mali have a near equal amount of similarities and differences. 

 Elaborately Written by Abby Dortch